How to get money in Cancun, Mexico?

On 12/22/2007 5:18 PM Bert Hyman plucked Senior Frog's Magic Twanger
and said:
In
xz wrote:


On Dec 22, 3:24 pm, Bert Hyman wrote:


om

xz wrote:


What Mexican banks' ATM we can use? And which American banks are
they related to?
Are there many of them?

Banamex is the only one that comes to mind, but only because the
name's easy to remember.

But, look at your ATM card to see which network(s) it belongs to,
then check online to see where matching ATMs are located.

It will probably be either Visa's "Plus" system or MasterCard's
Cirrus system.

So what you mentioned here is a general way to withdraw cash through
the Visa or MasterCard's network system?
which means, you can use *any* check card with Visa Plus or MasterCard
Cirrus to withdraw cash from *any* ATM with the corresponding network,
and it does not matter which bank your card is issued by and which
bank's ATM you are withdrawing cash from. Is that true?


With US ATM cards that I'm familiar with, yes, that's the way it works.

Even so, I might have a service charge added to my transactions if I use
an ATM machine that's not operated by my bank, or by one with which my
bank has an arrangement.


I just found this information from Bank of America's website. There
are some specific banks in other countries that you can withdraw money
from your BOA checking account, e.g. BNP in France.
Is this essentially the same thing as you told me above? or it is
another different and better way to get money from outside US?

http://bankofamerica.via.infonow.net...stLoadAction.d
o

Use your ATM card or Check Card within our Global ATM Alliance in the
countries shown with no fees.


Your bank, like my bank, has a special arrangement with certain other
banks which allow their customers to use each other's ATMs without a
service charge.

If you use other ATMs, even if they're in the Plus or Cirrus network,
you might see a service charge added to your transaction'


I was in Playa del Carmen, south of Cancun. I used a Banamex ATM. I
entered the amount I wanted to take out in USD the funds were delivered
in Pesos. When I got home my Wachovia Bank statement had a charge for
non-Wachovia ATM and there was an Exchange Transaction Charge from
Scotia Bank Canada. While in Mexico, the how of getting the money was
transparent to me. All I knew was that I punched in USD and got it back
in Pesos.

--
________
To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 13:52:49 -0800 (PST), xz
wrote:

On Dec 22, 3:24 pm, Hatunen wrote:
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 13:10:36 -0800 (PST), xz



wrote:
On Dec 22, 2:55 pm, Hatunen wrote:
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 12:44:14 -0800 (PST), xz

wrote:
On Dec 22, 2:33 pm, Bert Hyman wrote:


xz wrote:
Hey, for those who have been in Cancun, Mexico, how did you guys bring
or get money there?

1. Get some bucks in US and change them into Peso there?
Or
2. withdraw peso from the ATM there?
Are these two ways both feasible? Which is better?

thanks for your reply!
Generally (well, in my experience, always) the exchange rate at an ATM
will be better.

What Mexican banks' ATM we can use? And which American banks are they
related to?
Are there many of them?

Banamex seems to be a good bank to use. I assume your ATM card is
on a globally recognized system.
I have Bank of American check card. Is that OK?
I used it on BNP's ATM when I was in Paris and got very good exchange
rate.
So I am actually seeking for similar way in Cancun.

I don't know much about check cards as I have straight ATM cards,
I thought check card and ATM card are the same thing, ain't they?

but I see no reason why it shouldn't work, especially if it works
in Paris, where problems with ATMs seem to crop up a lot.

Yes, but what I was actually asking was which specific bank's ATM in
Cancun I can use?

And I replied Banamex. Banamex ATMs work for me in other parts of
Mexico. I haven't tried other banks.

But it seems like this is not a question according to Bert's answer.
I asked the question because I used BNP in Paris, which is
specifically related to BOA and listed on BOA's website.
And now I found from the following webpage
http://bankofamerica.via.infonow.net...tLoadAction.do

Few of us will know the particulars for your own card.

that Santander Serfin is BOA's global ATM alliance so everything is
clear now.


Do check cards list systems like Cirrus and Star and Plus on
them?
Yes, they do.

Then you'll be fine.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:53:58 GMT, "Lawrence Akutagawa"
wrote:


"xz" wrote in message
...
On Dec 22, 2:55 pm, Hatunen wrote:

/snip/

Banamex seems to be a good bank to use. I assume your ATM card is
on a globally recognized system.

I have Bank of American check card. Is that OK?
I used it on BNP's ATM when I was in Paris and got very good exchange
rate.
So I am actually seeking for similar way in Cancun.

I marvel at one of the characteristics of this age of the Internet of folks
who ordinarily in the pre-Internet days would just pick up the phone and
call Bank of America to ask their question regarding a Bank of America
product today ask people not affiliated formally in any way with Bank of
America a question about a Bank of America product.

I would think that a
response from Bank of America person to a phone call or an email regarding
one of its products would be of higher reliability than one from a person
not affiliated with Bank of America...but then, what do I know?

Have you tried it lately? I can't seem to get the person at the
other end to even understand just what it is I am asking. And
don't even think about asking your local bank people any
questions about your ATM card and foreign use.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:01:21 -0800 (PST), xz
wrote:


Well, I would like to tell you that's not always true, according to my
personal experience...

Before I went to Paris, I actually asked BOA's people on phone and
guess what they told me?

They told me that I can withdraw money from their branch's ATM in
Paris, on which there are signs of "Bank of America",
which is totally incorrect.
Fortunately I figured out that BNP is the bank I should use in Paris,
but through some way other than asking the PROFESSIONAL BOA people by
phone.

I have "pure" ATM cards from my credit unions and I didn't even
have to look at which bank owned hte ATMs. I judt used my card
and got money. Ditto in England, Germany, Sweden and Finland.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:21:09 -0800 (PST), PeterL
wrote:

On Dec 22, 1:10*pm, xz wrote:
On Dec 22, 2:55 pm, Hatunen wrote:

BofA recently raised the fee they charge for using non BofA ATM's.
You should open an acct. with a bank that don't charge you an arm and
a leg for using someone's ATM.

Generally true for credit unions.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

"Hatunen" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:53:58 GMT, "Lawrence Akutagawa"
wrote:


"xz" wrote in message
...
On Dec 22, 2:55 pm, Hatunen wrote:

/snip/

Banamex seems to be a good bank to use. I assume your ATM card is
on a globally recognized system.

I have Bank of American check card. Is that OK?
I used it on BNP's ATM when I was in Paris and got very good exchange
rate.
So I am actually seeking for similar way in Cancun.

I marvel at one of the characteristics of this age of the Internet of
folks
who ordinarily in the pre-Internet days would just pick up the phone and
call Bank of America to ask their question regarding a Bank of America
product today ask people not affiliated formally in any way with Bank of
America a question about a Bank of America product.

I would think that a
response from Bank of America person to a phone call or an email regarding
one of its products would be of higher reliability than one from a person
not affiliated with Bank of America...but then, what do I know?

Have you tried it lately? I can't seem to get the person at the
other end to even understand just what it is I am asking. And
don't even think about asking your local bank people any
questions about your ATM card and foreign use.

[chuckle] I'm the original customer service's customer from hell. My
questions generally start with "Do you or don't you know?" And if they
don't, then I ask to speak to someone who does know. After all, there is no
use berating someone who does not know the company's product for not knowing
the company's own product - he/she already knows he/she does not know. If
there is no one there who knows, then I ask to speak to the supervisor. If
the supervisor is not available, then it's time for that letter to the
branch manager with copies to the BBB, Chamber of Commerce, and perhaps one
to the president of the company. If the supervisor is there, then I ask
why is it that I am having such difficulty in getting answers to questions
on the company's product. After all, it is the company's product on which I
am asking questions, is it not? So it is reasonable for me to pose this
question to someone in the company, no? If I get transferred to another
department, I make note of the time and the new person to whom I speak. As
soon as the new person gets on the line, I explain my question (again) and
the number of times I've been bounced around, including the names of the
people to whom I've spoken. Then I ask whether or not he/she can indeed
answer my question. And we begin the game anew until I either end up
writing that letter or get an answer. Of course, I make note of the name
and contact info of the person who gave me that answer. A good dose of
persistence goes a long, long way.

Hey - it's the company's very own product that we are talking about. It is
not something esoteric put out by a competitor! There is someone in that
company who is knowledgeable about the product and its ins and outs. The
challenge is to locate that person. And failing to locate that person and
that knowledge, not making the company understand that its own people cannot
explain its own products to its own customers is an injustice to all other
customers. And it is logically very delicious. After all, who if not
someone in that company can explain the intricacies of the company's own
products?

Hatunen wrote:
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:01:21 -0800 (PST), xz
wrote:


Well, I would like to tell you that's not always true, according to
my personal experience...

Before I went to Paris, I actually asked BOA's people on phone and
guess what they told me?

They told me that I can withdraw money from their branch's ATM in
Paris, on which there are signs of "Bank of America",
which is totally incorrect.
Fortunately I figured out that BNP is the bank I should use in
Paris,
but through some way other than asking the PROFESSIONAL BOA people
by
phone.

I have "pure" ATM cards from my credit unions and I didn't even
have to look at which bank owned hte ATMs. I judt used my card
and got money. Ditto in England, Germany, Sweden and Finland.

That's fine with _bank_ ATMs, but doesn't always work on hotel lobby
ATMs or the like, which are sometimes not owned by any bank.

However the fact that you got your money doesn't mean that you weren't
assessed a service charge. I can get my money out of the bank ATM a
block from my house without a service charge, but if I use the ATM
across the street from it that belongs to a different bank then I'm
assessed a buck for each withdrawal. The same would be true of a bank
ATM in Quebec or Cancun or Paris if there was no agreement between the
owning bank and my bank to waive service charges.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 01:13:52 -0500, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

Hatunen wrote:
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:01:21 -0800 (PST), xz
wrote:


Well, I would like to tell you that's not always true, according to
my personal experience...

Before I went to Paris, I actually asked BOA's people on phone and
guess what they told me?

They told me that I can withdraw money from their branch's ATM in
Paris, on which there are signs of "Bank of America",
which is totally incorrect.
Fortunately I figured out that BNP is the bank I should use in
Paris,
but through some way other than asking the PROFESSIONAL BOA people
by
phone.

I have "pure" ATM cards from my credit unions and I didn't even
have to look at which bank owned hte ATMs. I judt used my card
and got money. Ditto in England, Germany, Sweden and Finland.

That's fine with _bank_ ATMs, but doesn't always work on hotel lobby
ATMs or the like, which are sometimes not owned by any bank.

Those ATMs usually charge excessive fees; I refuse to use them.

However the fact that you got your money doesn't mean that you weren't
assessed a service charge. I can get my money out of the bank ATM a
block from my house without a service charge, but if I use the ATM
across the street from it that belongs to a different bank then I'm
assessed a buck for each withdrawal.

Oddly enough, the ATMs in foreign countries don't seem to charge
fees on withdrawals on American ATM cards, and my own credit
union doesn't charge fees for using other people's machines,
either. So far I've used ATMs in England, France, Germany,
Sweden, Mexico and Finland and have never been charged a fee by
the ATM or by my credit union. There is however a 1% charge for
currency conversion levied by the ATM system (Cirrus, etc) and
some issuing institutions gratuitously charge another percent or
so.

The same would be true of a bank
ATM in Quebec or Cancun or Paris if there was no agreement between the
owning bank and my bank to waive service charges.

Apparently, charging you a fee when you use your American card
just isn't done.
--

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On Dec 23, 12:29 am, "Lawrence Akutagawa"
wrote:
"Hatunen" wrote in message

...



On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:53:58 GMT, "Lawrence Akutagawa"
wrote:

"xz" wrote in message
...
On Dec 22, 2:55 pm, Hatunen wrote:

/snip/

Banamex seems to be a good bank to use. I assume your ATM card is
on a globally recognized system.

I have Bank of American check card. Is that OK?
I used it on BNP's ATM when I was in Paris and got very good exchange
rate.
So I am actually seeking for similar way in Cancun.

I marvel at one of the characteristics of this age of the Internet of
folks
who ordinarily in the pre-Internet days would just pick up the phone and
call Bank of America to ask their question regarding a Bank of America
product today ask people not affiliated formally in any way with Bank of
America a question about a Bank of America product.

I would think that a
response from Bank of America person to a phone call or an email regarding
one of its products would be of higher reliability than one from a person
not affiliated with Bank of America...but then, what do I know?

Have you tried it lately? I can't seem to get the person at the
other end to even understand just what it is I am asking. And
don't even think about asking your local bank people any
questions about your ATM card and foreign use.

[chuckle] I'm the original customer service's customer from hell. My
questions generally start with "Do you or don't you know?" And if they
don't, then I ask to speak to someone who does know. After all, there is no
use berating someone who does not know the company's product for not knowing
the company's own product - he/she already knows he/she does not know. If
there is no one there who knows, then I ask to speak to the supervisor. If
the supervisor is not available, then it's time for that letter to the
branch manager with copies to the BBB, Chamber of Commerce, and perhaps one
to the president of the company. If the supervisor is there, then I ask
why is it that I am having such difficulty in getting answers to questions
on the company's product. After all, it is the company's product on which I
am asking questions, is it not? So it is reasonable for me to pose this
question to someone in the company, no? If I get transferred to another
department, I make note of the time and the new person to whom I speak. As
soon as the new person gets on the line, I explain my question (again) and
the number of times I've been bounced around, including the names of the
people to whom I've spoken. Then I ask whether or not he/she can indeed
answer my question. And we begin the game anew until I either end up
writing that letter or get an answer. Of course, I make note of the name
and contact info of the person who gave me that answer. A good dose of
persistence goes a long, long way.

Hey - it's the company's very own product that we are talking about. It is
not something esoteric put out by a competitor! There is someone in that
company who is knowledgeable about the product and its ins and outs. The
challenge is to locate that person. And failing to locate that person and
that knowledge, not making the company understand that its own people cannot
explain its own products to its own customers is an injustice to all other
customers. And it is logically very delicious. After all, who if not
someone in that company can explain the intricacies of the company's own
products?

holy smokes......sounds like you need a hobby......I cant imagine
pestering a company like that over something so stupid as an ATM
question.....is it worth all that time of your life over something
that may amount to a 5 dollar fee?

I dont know about you, but my time is too valuable to take on a
crusade against a company over something so stupid. I would suggest
when y0ou get the urge to be customer service's nightmare, you instead
try painting, reading or going for a walk.

Besides, we all know the easiest way to get money in cancun is to go
to the tourist area, sniffle, and then take money from tourists who
think you have coke for sale...


Chuck

wrote in message
...
On Dec 23, 12:29 am, "Lawrence Akutagawa"
wrote:
"Hatunen" wrote in message

...



On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 21:53:58 GMT, "Lawrence Akutagawa"
wrote:

"xz" wrote in message
...
On Dec 22, 2:55 pm, Hatunen wrote:

/snip/

Banamex seems to be a good bank to use. I assume your ATM card is
on a globally recognized system.

I have Bank of American check card. Is that OK?
I used it on BNP's ATM when I was in Paris and got very good exchange
rate.
So I am actually seeking for similar way in Cancun.

I marvel at one of the characteristics of this age of the Internet of
folks
who ordinarily in the pre-Internet days would just pick up the phone
and
call Bank of America to ask their question regarding a Bank of America
product today ask people not affiliated formally in any way with Bank
of
America a question about a Bank of America product.

I would think that a
response from Bank of America person to a phone call or an email
regarding
one of its products would be of higher reliability than one from a
person
not affiliated with Bank of America...but then, what do I know?

Have you tried it lately? I can't seem to get the person at the
other end to even understand just what it is I am asking. And
don't even think about asking your local bank people any
questions about your ATM card and foreign use.

[chuckle] I'm the original customer service's customer from hell. My
questions generally start with "Do you or don't you know?" And if they
don't, then I ask to speak to someone who does know. After all, there is
no
use berating someone who does not know the company's product for not
knowing
the company's own product - he/she already knows he/she does not know.
If
there is no one there who knows, then I ask to speak to the supervisor.
If
the supervisor is not available, then it's time for that letter to the
branch manager with copies to the BBB, Chamber of Commerce, and perhaps
one
to the president of the company. If the supervisor is there, then I ask
why is it that I am having such difficulty in getting answers to
questions
on the company's product. After all, it is the company's product on
which I
am asking questions, is it not? So it is reasonable for me to pose this
question to someone in the company, no? If I get transferred to another
department, I make note of the time and the new person to whom I speak.
As
soon as the new person gets on the line, I explain my question (again)
and
the number of times I've been bounced around, including the names of the
people to whom I've spoken. Then I ask whether or not he/she can indeed
answer my question. And we begin the game anew until I either end up
writing that letter or get an answer. Of course, I make note of the name
and contact info of the person who gave me that answer. A good dose of
persistence goes a long, long way.

Hey - it's the company's very own product that we are talking about. It
is
not something esoteric put out by a competitor! There is someone in that
company who is knowledgeable about the product and its ins and outs. The
challenge is to locate that person. And failing to locate that person
and
that knowledge, not making the company understand that its own people
cannot
explain its own products to its own customers is an injustice to all
other
customers. And it is logically very delicious. After all, who if not
someone in that company can explain the intricacies of the company's own
products?

holy smokes......sounds like you need a hobby......I cant imagine
pestering a company like that over something so stupid as an ATM
question.....is it worth all that time of your life over something
that may amount to a 5 dollar fee?

I dont know about you, but my time is too valuable to take on a
crusade against a company over something so stupid. I would suggest
when y0ou get the urge to be customer service's nightmare, you instead
try painting, reading or going for a walk.

Besides, we all know the easiest way to get money in cancun is to go
to the tourist area, sniffle, and then take money from tourists who
think you have coke for sale...

Folks like you who let those companies get away with not explaining their
own products is why those companies don't need to go through the expense and
trouble to make sure that their people - if not able to answer questions
about their very own products - minimally can refer customers to someone in
the company who does know enough of the company products to answer queries
about the company's products. And why folks like you end up asking
complete strangers not at all associated with said company about said
company's products.

I do love your logic, which seems to be prevalent hereabouts these days - I
am the one at fault for being persistent in insisting on locating someone in
the company knowledgeable enough about the company's own products to be able
to answer my questions about it. Hey - it's not my product - it's not your
product - it's that *company's* product. That company is the one who
created/adopted that product - it is the one who set the
rules/regulations/process/procedures regarding that product. Clearly, from
your perspective I ought to seek my answers from a group of strangers not at
all affiliated with the company concerned. Such wonderful, wonderful
delicious logic. No wonder companies today behave as they do.

By the way...by the same logic, you probably sincerely believe that it is my
fault that I at times can't understand the English used by various
help/customer service folks these days. Clearly, given your logic, that I
don't understand the English spoken is to be blamed on me rather than on the
company involved. As Frasier once said to Cliff on *Cheers* - "Tell me,
what color is the sky in your world? "